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Dave Pettinari, computer forensic examiner/private investigator

Dave Pettinari, a retired 20-year veteran of the Pueblo County, Colo., Sheriff's Office, now owns a computer forensics, Internet investigations, and private investigations consulting business. He formerly was a commander of a high-tech crimes unit at the Pueblo County (Colorado) Sheriff’s Office, including participation in the Colorado Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.He and fellow officers arrested 36 online predators who go after children in chat rooms and in instant messaging.

He has taught numerous national and state-level seminars on use of the Internet for Law Enforcement Intelligence, Investigations, identity theft, and computer crime.In all, he has published 100+ articles in national publications over the years, about one-fourth of them on computer crime and Internet crime topics. He taught around the country with a course of his own invention since 1995 on computer crime, Internet crime and identity theft investigation. He is a former instructor for Internet Crimes Inc., and for Paraben Corp. on forensically processing and finding information on cell phones and PDAs.

Today, in addition to operating his businesses, he teaches multiple courses at two universities and a college.

Pettinari holds a master's degree in journalism from Marquette University in Milwaukee where he was a J.L. O'Sullivan fellow. He also holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Regis College in Denver. He graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Colorado Springs.

A certified peace officer, he attended the School of Police Staff and Command at Northwestern University in Chicago.He has been trained in computer forensics, attending 37+ computer crime and computer forensics schools, to include the Federal Law Enforcement Center’s “Criminal Investigations in an Automated Environment” course, SEARCH computer crimes, SEARCH Investigation of Online Sexual Exploitation of Children, EnCase (basic, intermediate and advanced), and the National White Collar Crime Center’s Basic Data Recovery and Analysis course, Advanced Data Recovery and Analysis course, Internet Trace Evidence Recovery and Analysis course, and numerous other schools. He holds the EnCE designation, meaning he is EnCase certified.

He is a former president of the Southeastern Colorado Law Enforcement Association, and of the Southern Colorado Press Club. He served as president of Police Futurists International in 1999-2000.

A major in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, he served in Operation Desert Storm (England, Turkey and Saudi Arabia), and in Operation Provide Comfort, the airdrop mission to the Kurdish people.He served as a reserve member of the Air Force Office of Special Investigation, specializing in computer crimes investigation and anti-hacking.He was assigned to Travis AFB, CA, but served also at Peterson AFB in Colorado Springs. Pettinari is a graduate of Squadron Officers School and Air Command and Staff College.

In his military life, he was activated for a month to examine 500 gigabytes of information coming out of the Guantanamo, Cuba espionage investigation.

TAC Forensics and Investigations is a full-service investigative firm specializing in computer, cell phone and PDA forensics. We are committed to provide excellent, timely services, with integrity and ethics as our watchwords in every investigative step.

If you need immediate, in-depth reporting to resolve a concern or work a case that will stand up in court, you can rely on our expertise. We specialize in quick-turnaround investigations that provide you results to move on a resolution very quickly.

Fully insured by Brownyard Programs, Ltd.

TAC Forensics and Investigation private investigators provide our clients with accurate answers to their questions in a professional, cost-effective and confidential manner. By hiring us to work your case, you are getting the assistance of a professional with excellent knowledge, skills and an attitude to fulfill every assignment to your satisfaction.

We also provide consulting services and rent equipment to those who cannot afford to pay the entire freight for expert assistance. With this approach, you can invest your own time and work your situation with expert guidance from a professional.

Call for a free consultation and an estimate!

We are the tactical units of the new millennium…

Rates and charges

TAC president Dave Pettinari is an investigator with more than 20 years experience in the field serving the Pueblo area as well as the entire state of Colorado. He is a senior member of The Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado, the only Colorado association that conducts background checks on its investigators, and belongs to the National Council on Investigations and Security Services, the Colorado Association of Computer Crime Investigators and the International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists. Pettinari retired after 20 years as a commander with the Pueblo County (Colorado) Sheriff’s Office and was a reserve Air Force Office of Special Investigations special agent for six years. He is a certified computer forensic examiner and cell phone/PDA examiner.